How to Choose a Medical Assistant Training School near Strattanville Pennsylvania

Now that you have made a decision to join the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Strattanville PA, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the proper training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately pick the right one? Most potential students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues also. You may choose to take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are assessing. And to help you with that task, we have furnished a few questions that you need to ask each of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are available.

The Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant

The duties of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Primarily their function is ensure that the Strattanville PA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work operate successfully. Based on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with giving direct support to the physicians, nurses and other health practitioners but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. A few of the many duties of a medical assistant include:

• Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
• Scheduling and verifying appointments
• Weighing and taking patients vital signs
• Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue samples
• Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
• Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures

While medical assistants can perform almost any task they are authorized to under Pennsylvania law, some opt to specialize in a particular area and attain certification. Two of the options available are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training Programs

Compared to many other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Strattanville PA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically 2 choices offered for a formal education. The first and quickest path to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about 1 year to complete, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs provided at junior and community colleges together with vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a practical component involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Classes

There are many accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are a good alternative for individuals who might not have time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good option for students who continue to work full-time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, a number of online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be lessened as well. Just keep in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can typically be completed in Strattanville PA area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to receiving your training may be the right choice for you. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent idea for individuals who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in obtaining employment after graduation, but it may also help with initial salary negotiations. A number of potential Strattanville PA medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and perhaps the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to apply for the CMA examination, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available also, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school options, you have to decide which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. Once those choices have been made, you can start the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, some prospective students confine their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Strattanville PA with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional factors that you must examine when assessing programs. To assist you with that task, below are a few questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to ensure that the school you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the accepted agencies for accreditation are the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). If your program is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, a number of potential Strattanville PA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the School’s Passing Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you must determine which of the certifications the schools you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will want to choose a program targeting that certification. Next, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the methods to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Naturally programs with low rates are those that you will want to eliminate.

Which Programs are Available? As we previously covered, there are essentially two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is closer to one year. Or you can elect to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require about two years to accomplish in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to pursue, make sure that the schools you are considering offer the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Provided? Numerous medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Strattanville PA area medical care providers. They are a great way to obtain hands-on clinical training and experience. They can also help students develop relationships within the Strattanville health care community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Service Offered? Landing that initial job can be a challenging task for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Strattanville PA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also indicates that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classes? Class size might be an indicator of how much personal attention you will get throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to monitor a few classes before selecting a program to observe what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work full-time, it’s important that the school you choose provides classes that fit your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Strattanville PA, make certain that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online program, but you will also need to schedule all internships or clinical training that will be required. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Strattanville Pennsylvania?

If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Strattanville PA area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.

Choose the Right Medical Assistant Program Strattanville PA

It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant college that will provide the proper training. Whether you’re planning to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you must obtain the appropriate information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges offering training these days that you can make a selection based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, confirm that the program you choose is accredited by an acknowledged agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Graduation. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, be sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the best program you can ultimately begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Strattanville PA.

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